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[Mad1]

It will be used for work and leisure. Budget is £600

All I want is a decent processor speed 1.8GHz or more
2GB ram
big hard drive
I'd really like ATI or Nvidia gfx although I probably wont be playing games but it's nice that it's there.
XP compatibility is a must.
15" screen max
3 USB minimum
WIRELESS ABG
S-video
PCMCIA

I've been thinking about this, and getting a stick of 2GB to make it 3GB
http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=296734
Although the gfx isnt great.

[Wooster]

I usually advised people on a budget to avoid the usual brand names and go direct to the manufacturer, that way you get way more bang for your buck.
But I don't know if that's still true (especially after Christmas).

Acer for instance manufacture laptops for most of the big brands who then add their markup to the price..

So you get this from acer for about £600
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136303

and this from HP for the same price..
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136303

On the face of it the Acer still wins for me though with the extra memory, slightly better Gfx card and larger HDD.
The really big difference for me is the vastly superior screen on the Acer...it really is top notch (I've seen it) whereas the HP screen has that pathetic and cheap looking matt reflective surface on it.. (the reason I know this, is because I have one.... )

P.S. The customer support is pretty good from Acer too..

[Mad1]

Thanks Wooster but thats got a 17" screen which is far to big to be used at work.

It's also vista only. I have looked on just about every pc store website there is.

For £600 you can only get tat.

[Wooster]

Ahh..I never spotted screen size.

I work from home on a Vista PC with my XP laptops networked into it and haven't run into any issues with compatibility, in fact the biggest compatibility issue I have is between MS Office Exel 2007 and 2003...now that really is a pain in the arse..

[Mad1]

I was going to dual boot with vista just so I could get used to it, I suppose I could try it out at home instead.

Btw what was the HP laptop? you listed the Acer twice.

[Wooster]

Oh dear I'm not doing to well, am I?

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135191/show_product_specifications



I use Vista all the time now (except when I'm out on a job with one of the laptops that is) and there is the odd wee annoying thing to start with but you get used to it.
It's like shopping in a new supermarket, to begin with it takes you ages since you don't know where everything is but after a while you can get in and buy what you need in a fraction of the time.

[Mad1]

That HP looks pretty good shame its a 17" screen.

[Wooster]

Why does it absolutely have to be a 15" screen?


(Btw the HP screens really are teh shit.. )

[Mad1]

Because lugging a 17" laptop about isn't practical at all.

www.laptopsdirect.co.uk is located not to far from me so i may pop down.

I mite step out of my budget and get this.
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Acer_TravelMate_5720G-302G16Mi_LX.TMT0X.010/version.asp

What do you think?

[Wooster]

That's pretty sweet mate..

I think that's exactly what you are looking for.

When you are down there, compare the HP screen and the Crystalbrite on on the Acer...and you'll see exactly what I mean.

[Mad1]

I got an Acer for my dad a while ago and the screen is great, I've never seen an HP laptop to compare it too.

I'm not fond of spending the extra £50 on ATI gfx I'd rather it was nvidia. But they are a bit too far out of my budget.

[Mad1]

OK just ordered that using my dads Acer because my computer doesn't like that website for some reason.